English

NCHNina Children Home is for children between ages of 1-18 years without suitable living opportunities. These children can be without parents, homeless, abandoned or abused. NCH’s goal is to provide for the children’s basic needs as well as safety, hope, happiness and a belief in a positive future.

HISTORYFounder; Nina Sørlie, has for many years wished to help children in need. Her own children are now self-sufficient, and after receiving a modest inheritance, Nina grasped the opportunity to realize her dream. After several visits to Kenya and a long process of trial and failure, searching for a suitable situation, and through extensive use of time and personal finances, arose an opportunity in 2004 to lay the foundation stone for NCH. By October 2005, a house was rented and renovated. The Children’s Department delivered the first 8 children. Shortly afterward 6 more arrived. During 2008, a property of 36 acre, that had been a children home, was purchased with a private loan taken up at Luster Savings Bank in Norway.

GOALThe home strives toward a holistic living situation for the children. It aims to find and develop the children’s own latent talents, learn to cooperate, communicate and live together as siblings. Boys and girls are respected equally and daily tasks are shared without discrimination. Each individual’s uniqueness is valued. The home strives to maintain a homelike atmosphere, despite being an institution. An extended goal is that the children shall become independent and responsible.

STRUCTUREThe home has a rural and ecological setting, where we produce vegetables, fruits, milk, biogas, egg and meat. Salaries are moderate and lifestyle is modest and relatively simple. It’s of interest that elderly also live in the community. There are many social and pedagogical advantages in having a wide specter of ages living and working together in community.

CHILDRENThe children are in great need of support. Currently their ages range from 5 -19 years. Several have no birth record. It’s a priority to find relatives and information about these children, for them to procure identification documents. In some cases a medical doctor assess their age. Currently there are 25 wonderful children.

HEALTHSome of the children have reduced growth, tooth decay, fungal infection, parasites and insects under their skin due to many years of malnutrition. They can steal, hide food, have poor concentration and demonstrate stress reactions, due to traumatic experiences. HIV and TB are common problems in Kenya. We seek medical assistance when needed. With love, good environment and proper nutrition, positive development quickly occurs.

SCHOOLSmall and new children attend our Home School. Older children attend a private day school, approximately 5 km from the home. Older children attended boarding schools. Some children have a particular need for tutorial help, due to insufficient schooling during their earlier years. Many children display a good potential to manage well in vocation. My goal is to assist the children through education, until they are able to provide for themselves.